Untamed
by horseloverii
Summary: Lucius had given up. The centuries alone had taken their toll. Looking over the ocean on his last night he is surprised when she appears our of nowhere, looking like a wild creature from the forest. Lifemate. His.


**Disclaimer: **Shera and Lucius are mine. The rest is not.

Shera loved the night. She loved the stars blanketing the black sky. She loved the feel of the air, so cool and distinctly different than the day. The dim between the massive evergreens was of no inconvenience to her. She had long ago developed excellent night vision. Even with no moon in the sky Shera wove around the tree trunks and undergrowth swiftly, with no missteps.

Night animals she passed mentally expressed their joy at her presence. She was a friend to all. Embracing the feeling of the prickle of the soft pine needles against her callused feet, Shera darted through the trees towards the ocean. She leapt up onto a boulder and jumped to a second before hitting the ground again and racing up the gentle slope towards the edge of the cliff. Her excitement built with the climb. Joy surged through her as she burst through the tree line and stopped on a dime.

A light, salty breeze whipped her blue-black hair around her bare waist and brought a smile to her lips. The sound of the surf hitting the rocks a hundred feet below calmed her excitement and she crouched to the ground, placing her palms on the bare stone to feel the rumble.

It was in that second that Shera noticed the other presence with her on the outcropping. A shadow shifted out of the corner of her eye and she leapt sideways, away from it. At the same time she turned to face it. A man. It was the first human Shera had seen in her territory. Something about the aura of this man was off. Aside from the danger she could feel radiating from him there was something not quite human about him. It chilled her to the bone and frightened her more than anything else about him.

Lucius studied the woman and his mouth dropped. She was wild. Everything about her reminded him of a forest creature. Her long black hair flowed and whipped in the wind. A green shirt hugged ample curves and showed off her narrow waist. Green pants wrapped tightly around long perfect legs ending above bare, yet delicate feet. Green. It was that realization that brought him up short and drove the air out of his lungs. Color, so strong and vivid he almost wanted to shield his eyes. His. Lifemate.

Surprise took hold of him and he stepped closer. She gasped and darted away, vanishing back into the trees like a phantom.

_Who are you?_ he asked mentally, finding the path to her mind with ease.

Shera's heart was pounding. She cringed away from the voice in her mind and ran blindly away from him.

He could have followed her easily but Lucius didn't want to frighten her even more. He had waited centuries for her and patience was one of his many virtues. Dissolving into mist, Lucius drifted through the trees, high above the ground. He couldn't believe the miracle he had been given. Just when he had been waiting for the morning sun to take away his life and end his misery she had found him.

Curiosity struck him and Lucius reached out for her again. _Tell me your name, wild one._

Despite her terror, Shera felt compelled by something in her to answer him. The silence that had stretched out after he called the first time, strangely had made her feel sad and empty. _Go away. Leave me alone._

She felt his laughter in her mind and it only made her more afraid. On her one trip into a city with people she had never experienced this. To feel their emotions and hear their thoughts she had to reach out, into their own thoughts. His feelings were coming to her, invading her mind.

_That I will not do. My name is Lucius. Tell me your name._ He wanted to know. He needed to know but she was already startled. Pressing down his desire to simply command her, Lucius settled for more gentle tactics. A wild creature never responded well to force.

Shera finally sank to the ground, exhausted. Her terror was making it worse. Usually she could run forever with no problems but usually she wasn't this frightened. She wasn't quite sure what scared her so much about him. True, she didn't like people in general but something about him, besides the fact that he didn't feel human to her was making her nervous. Maybe it was the power she could feel in his mental voice. Or it could have had something to do with the feelings she was experiencing.

She could hear his possession in his voice. Lucius sounded like a man who liked control. Shera felt drawn to him. Something in her wanted to hear his voice, wanted to see what he really looked like, wanted to know who he was. She couldn't. She'd never give up her freedom.

_If I tell you will you go away?_ Lucius had been holding his breath, waiting for a response. He felt amused by her answer. It took him a moment to remember how to answer. He was busy wrapping his mind over the emotions that he could feel once again. When he gathered himself back he responded with a laugh. _If I say yes will you tell me?_

_You wouldn't mean it so no._ Again she felt his laughter and she jumped at the strange feeling it created. Desire for him fluttered through her. It was the last straw. Deciding that all she needed was some distance Shera shape shifted into a wolf and took off again. It was so natural for her to do so that it took almost no energy at all.

Lucius felt the change in her thought patterns and spotted a black wolf racing through the trees below him. He had heard about the hope his dying race had discovered. Their prince had found a human woman with a psychic gift and she had survived the conversion to his race successfully. The talent in this woman was beyond psychic. He had never heard of a human who could shift forms.

_What else can you do? _He asked her absently.

He could still feel her fear when she responded to him. _Stop following me. You have no reason to be interested in me. I am no one. I am a wild creature that wants no attention and no master. Leave me alone._

Lucius persisted, asking another question. _You are a human. Why are you out here alone? Barefoot? _

Shera could hear the disapproval in his tone and snorted. _If you don't like it go away. As you obviously can see I'm not your average human. I don't want to be bothered by anyone._

He sensed there was a reason for her solitude. He could hear the pain beneath her fiery retort. He sighed and pushed her lightly with his mind. _Your name, wild one? That is all I seek from you right now. You are a personal miracle in my darkest hour, bringing me back from the brink of madness or death._

Surprise stirred in her mixed with a touch of peace that she could help save him and she gave in. _Shera. My name is Shera. I'm glad I could help you now will you please go away and please don't ever try to force me to do anything again._

Lucius laughed arrogantly and she had an urge to hit him. _I did not try, wild one. If I had truly tried to force you, you would have told me in an instant. I will leave you for now. Be well and thank you Shera._

It went against everything he was to leave her but he had not fed and he needed some time to adjust to all of the fresh emotions running through him. Lucius shifted into a great, coal black owl and soared out of the forest towards the city to the north. He would return. He had found his lifemate and he would come back for her soon.


End file.
